Stargazers Take To The Park For A Look-see

October 05, 2006|By SUSAN SMIGIELSKI ACKER, Special to the Daily Press

Area in New Quarter Park allows astronomy club to give residents a special peek at the skies.

New Quarter Park and the Skywatchers Astronomy Club, based at NASA Langley Research Center, recently allowed area residents to gaze at the night sky through more than just the naked eye.

Operated by the York County Parks and Recreation, the park had about 50 area residents come out Saturday night to view Andromeda Galaxy and Uranus through club members' telescopes.

The Andromeda Galaxy has a spiral shape similar to the Earth's own galaxy and was well placed in the sky for observation, according to information provided by the York County Public Information Office.

"The park has many trails and a wooded areas, but there is an open field that is perfect for setting up telescopes and does not have a lot of light pollution," said Sara Lewis, park interpreter. "It is hard to get completely away from the light pollution in this area, but this place has worked well."

This is the fourth time this year the NASA Skywatchers Astronomy Club has come out to do this for us. We hope to continue it next year," Lewis said.

Club members enjoy doing it, especially since the park reopened following damage from Tropical Storm Ernesto in early September, according to Marilyn Ogburn, spokesperson for the club and an employee at NASA Langley Research Center.

York County residents Alex Andrews and his wife, Joanne, have been to the stargazing event twice and plan to attend in the future.

"It is really nice; they set up several telescopes including a computer-controlled telescope in which I saw Neptune," Alex Andrews said. "I also saw Pleiades, which is a star cluster. That was very interesting."

The NASA club is doing a real service by providing this for the community," he said.

Lewis said she is especially pleased to see residents who come out with their children.

"The kids think it's neat because they are in the park at night -- something they don't get to do very often," she said.

The stargazing event is just one of many events area clubs are conducting at the 545-acre park that opened in April 2005.

Twice a month, the Williamsburg Bird Club conducts bird walks in which members help participants identify birds.

Shirley Devan, club spokesperson, said the bird walks are lead by a member, who usually sets up a spotting scope to get a close look at birds and eagles. Participants are also encouraged to bring binoculars to get a closer view.

"We really enjoy it when kids and parents come out. It is a great event for children in elementary and middle school," she said.

The club has just begun assisting park officials with bird inventory.

"Since this park is so new, there is unexplored inventory of birds. Our members will go as the seasons change to inventory the birds in the area," Devan said.

The club will conduct a nature camp for adults Oct. 14 at the park. Participants will learn about birds and their lifestyle.

A special program for children from age 5 to 12 , called the Mystery of the Lying Logs, is planned for later this month, Lewis said.

The Mystery of the Lying Logs explores a large area where many trees have blown down. Unless the tree is obstructing a path, park officials leave logs to decompose. The mystery is discovering what will happen to it, Lewis said.

"We find out what logs do all day and what species may inhabit them," she said.

The program is set to run at 10 a.m. Oct. 27 and Oct. 28.

The park has a rich American history that has been written based on records of land ownership and business transactions. Historical advertisements, along with personal diary descriptions and archaeological work also play a role in composing the history of the land.

It is known that Robert "King" Carter, the Virginia colony's largest landholder, owned the land because he wrote about it in a diary. The property was passed down to two generations. Records show that a few slaves lived on the land while the family owned it, Lewis said.

Archaeologists have identified 18th-century artifacts as well as pieces of brick and glass. Markings in the soil made by decomposed wood from structures that once stood in the area have also been discovered, she said

A great way to learn about the history of the park is on the first Saturday of the month, when a walk and talk is conducted that explores the archaeology of the park, she said.

Another local group, the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club, worked with park officials in designing the park's walking trails and family biking paths. *

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

New Quarter Park has more than 500 acres.

Ongoing activities include hiking and biking trails, a playground, picnic shelters, canoeing and kayaking, and disc golf. Fishing is permitted with a license.

Special activities in October include Walk and Talk: Archaeology at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of the month at New Quarter Park.